European Day of Languages

Welcome Message

(Dr. Melita Gabrič, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada)

Welcome to the second edition of the virtual European Day of Languages. We are thrilled to share this celebration of multilingualism and of Europe’s linguistic diversity with you – even if still virtually.

While we have been celebrating the European Day of Languages at Ottawa’s Glebe Collegiate Institute (International Languages Program) since 2013, the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic have prompted us to seek new ways to stay connected and carry on.

What is the European Day of Languages?

Créé en 2001 par le Conseil de l’Europe pour souligner l’importance des langues et de notre patrimoine linguistique diversifié, la Journée européenne des langues est célébrée chaque année le 26 Septembre ou autour de cette date avec des centaines d’événements à travers le monde.

C’est une occasion de célébrer et d’encourager l’apprentissage des langues et de la compréhension interculturelle en Europe et au-delà de ses frontières.

Europe is a continent of many languages. In the EU, we have 24 official languages and, like in Canada, we experience multilingualism every day.

This linguistic diversity is what defines us as Europeans, what shapes our identity, and we take great pride in our rich linguistic heritage.

When we learn a new language, we learn more than a new form of communication; we gain knowledge and acceptance of different cultures. We connect with people in ways we never thought possible. We would like to thank the International Language Educators Association of Ontario (ILEA), the participating school boards, language schools and instructors, EU Member States Embassies and the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC) for making this event possible.

Happy language learning!

What is the European Union Day of Languages?

Quick Facts:

The European Day of Languages was set up in 2001 by the Council of Europe to promote and encourage language learning and plurilingualism across Europe and beyond. Europe as a continent celebrates a rich multilingual diversity.
The Council of Europe designated September 26^th as the European Day of Languages.

Objectives of the Day of Languages:

Raise awareness of the importance and benefits of language learning
Broaden our understanding and knowledge of various languages worldwide
Increase plurilingualism
Deepen intercultural understanding
Represent linguistic and cultural diversity
Encourage a lifelong commitment to language development

Connections to the International Languages Program:

Opportunity for discussion about our experiences as language learners
Reflection on how learners approach or continue language learning
Discussion on what is common across languages
Awareness of linguistic diversity and tools for communication

What can language teachers do to recognize the EU Day of Languages?

Review language learning strategies with your students – consider the language awareness activities that are available within ILEA’s document: Raising Language Awareness – EU Day of Languages (See below)
Consider booking a speaker to visit your class online – ask your school district’s ILEA representative to book a speaker via the association or for more information email us at info@ilea.ca
Alternatively or in addition to the above, you can access the sample videos/documents or links for each language that appear on this website (and that will continue to develop over time)
After the language experience have students fill out a sample exit card that gets them to reflect on their language experience and the strategies they used – a great activity to do especially at the start of a course or program

ILEA Raising Language Awareness – EU Day of Languages

ILEA Raising Language Awareness – EU Day of Languages 2021 (v2)Download

ilea-language-awareness-activities-in-classrooms Download

Report on ILEA EDL 2020 Student Language Perceptions

report-on-ilea-edl2020-student-language-perceptions-1 Download

Check out Student Perceptions on Language Learning from a report on ILEA’s #EDL event. Students filled out exit cards on how they feel they can develop their language skills.

Check out Student Perceptions on Language Learning from a report on ILEA’s #EDL event. Students filled out exit cards on why language learning is important in their education.

In collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to Canada and after consultation with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board that ran six years of European Day of Languages events (since 2013), ILEA has produced its first edition of a document to assist language program providers and educators to recognize this important opportunity for developing language awareness and promoting multilingualism. This document gives an overview of the day with suggested activities and messaging for learners and communities. Keep in contact for future editions.

Messages and Resources for the European Day of Languages

The European Day of Languages is organized in partnership with the Embassies of EU Member States, the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), and the Embassy of Georgia.

Following are links to resources, video clips for various languages as offered by the embassies and cultural institutes. This section will expand over time. Check out the resources below and access them with your learners.

Sample Language Lessons

Bulgarian	Czech	Georgian
Greek	Hungarian	Irish/Ghaelige
Italian	Latvian	Polish
Portuguese	Slovenian

This is an ongoing project and we hope to expand the number of sample language lessons in the future. Please check back regularly for updates and additions to this collection.

Other links:

European Centre for Modern Languages

Promotional download materials including language challenges

Council of Europe

EDL Downloadable Materials

Thank you to our partners, including: